Ex-Udinese chief Marino: Napoli target Samardzic reminds me of Gianni Rivera

Former Udinese sporting director Pasquale Marino can see Lazar Samardzic succeeding with Napoli.

The midfielder is being linked with Napoli and Juventus this month.

Marino signed Samardzic for Udinese and told Radio Marte: "He is certainly a player for Napoli, but the timing of his integration will depend on the coach, the symbiosis with the environment and the harmony with his teammates.

"The goals he showed at the Maradona are already worth any comment that can be made in words, he is a boy capable of extraordinary gestures: if you have those shots in your DNA, it is only a question of time and continuity, to make an important contribution also in a great team.

"If he is the player who most resembles Zielinski? Yes, even if Piotr is more explosive and has more leg, while the Serbian resembles the Colpani of the situation, the classic attacking midfielder.

"When we signed him I immediately told him: 'You are the golden boy', because in terms of style he reminds us of Gianni Rivera, despite left foot kicks. In some ways, on a technical level he is also superior to Zielinski."